JB Beans & Co

Disney Watches

To handle the many requests from various businesses to put Mickey Mouse on Disney products, Herman "Kay" Kamen was hired as full-time manager and promotional salesperson in 1932. Under Kamen's leadership, sales of Mickey Mouse merchandise skyrocketed to several million dollars in just 4 years. The master salesman single-handedly changed Disney merchandising.

The idea for a Mickey Mouse watch was developed by Kamen, who sold the concept to the Ingersoll-Waterbury Clock Company of Connecticut. The first Mickey Mouse wrist watch was produced by the Ingersoll-Waterbury company in 1933. The dial read: "Mickey Mouse Ingersoll". It originally sold for $3.75, then was reduced to $2.75. The company later announced that Mickey Mouse saved the company from sure bankruptcy.

On the first day of release, 11,000 sold at Macy's New York department store. After eight weeks of production, Ingersoll added 2,700 people to its 300-employee workforce.

At the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago in 1933, Ingersoll established a mini-factory where visitors to the World's Fair could order a watch, see it created and receive it right away. The Mickey Mouse watch became the thing to wear at the World's Fair and all across the United States. By 1935 Ingersoll happily paid Disney a quarter of a million dollars in licensing fees as some 2.5 million Mickey Mouse watches by then had been sold.

In 1949, the 5-millionth Mickey Mouse watch was sold…….unfortunately the same year Kamen was killed in an airplane crash.

In 1957, at a special ceremony at Disneyland, Walt Disney was presented with the 25th million Mickey Mouse watch produced.

Disney Convention Watches

Petsy1989 2nd Annual WDW Teddy Bear Convention WatchAntique Teddy1990 Teddy Bear Watch1990 WDW Showcase of Dolls WatchMickey1991 Teddy Bear Convention Watch1991 Showcase of Dolls Convention WatchMinnie1992 WDW Convention Watch1992 WDW Doll Convention WatchClassic Grey1992 DL Convention WatchClassic Blonde1993 DL Convention WatchDonald1993 WDW Doll WatchPooh1994 WDW Convention WatchBaloo1995 WDW Convention Watch1996 WDW Teddy Bear and Doll Convention Watch1996 WDW Teddy Bear & Doll Commemorative WatchZehn1997 WDW Doll WatchSeabar1998 WDW Convention WatchDawn of New Century1999 WDW Doll WatchTheodore P. Trader2000 WDW Doll WatchSeymour C. TraderMargareteBig AlPoohMickey BearMickey and Bear

Pieces in this collection (40)

Photo Name Edition Size Origin
1989 WDW 2nd Annual Teddy Bear Convention WDW
1990 Teddy Bear Convention Watch WDW
1990 Showcase of Dolls Watch WDW
1991 WDW Teddy Bear Convention WDW
1991 WDW Showcase of Dolls WDW
1992 WDW Teddy Bear Convention WDW
1992 WDW Showcase of Dolls Watch WDW
1992 DL Teddy Bear Classic WDW
1993 DL Teddy Bear & Doll Classis WDW
1993 WDW Teddy Bear & Doll Watch WDW
1994 Teddy Bear & Doll Watch 600 WDW
1995 Teddy Bear & Doll Watch WDW
1996 Teddy Bear & Doll Convention Watch 50 WDW
1996 Teddy Bear & Doll Commemoration Watch 8,562 WDW
1997 Teddy Bear & Doll Convention Watch WDW
1998 Teddy Bear & Doll Convention Watch 1,000 WDW
1999 Teddy Bear & Doll Convention Watch WDW
2000 Teddy Bear & Doll Convention Watch 1,000 WDW
1933 Ingersoll Watch – Mickey Ingersoll
1992 Disneyland Teddy Bear Classic Convention Watch WDW
Panama Crossing Watch 500 DCL Skagen Designs, LTD.
2005 1st Japan Teddy Bear and Doll Convention 1,000, 500, 50 Japan
1989 WDW Convention Bear 1,000
1990 WDW Convention Bear 1,000
1991 WDW Teddy Bear Convention – Mickey 00969 / 1,500
1992 WDW Convention – Minnie 1,500
1992 DL Convention – Antique Grey 2,000
1993 DL Convention – Classic Blonde 1,500
1993 WDW Teddy Bear & Doll Convention – Donald 1,500
1994 WDW Convention – Pooh 2,500
1995 WDW Teddy Bear & Doll Convention – Baloo 2,500
1997 WDW Convention – Zehn 2,000
1998 WDW Convention – Sebar 2,000
1999 WDW Convention – Dawn 2,000
2000 WDW Convention – Theodore P. Trader 1,500
2001 WDW Convention – Seymore C. Trader 1,500 WDW
2002 WDW Convention – Margarete 1,500 WDW
2003 WDW Convention – Big Al 1,500 WDW
2005 WDW Convention – Disney Bear 1,500
2006 WDW Teddy Bear & Doll Weekend – Mickey and Bear 1,500

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